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Company News, India, Sustainability

The stewardship campaign reached 6,000 farmers and industry stakeholders across 14 states in the country through a large number of on-the-ground meetings

FMC India, a leading agricultural sciences company, marked the recent World Environment Day with a product stewardship campaign to promote safe and judicious consumption of crop protection products, amongst stakeholders.

The stewardship campaign reached 6,000 farmers and industry stakeholders across 14 states in the country through a large number of on-the-ground meetings. In addition, the company also adopted virtual reality and augmented reality to enhance knowledge retention through immersive learning for agricultural scientists and students at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, according to the company statement.

Elaborating on the stewardship initiative, Ravi Annavarapu, President, of FMC India said, “FMC is fully committed towards safety and welfare of the Indian farming community. The adoption of technology-driven solutions in agriculture has become critical for ensuring crop protection and food security. India’s G20 Presidency theme ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’ signifies collective efforts for achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. We concur with the idea of collaborative growth for responsible and responsive development in agriculture. Having successfully facilitated this training with PAU, we look to continue fostering the next generation of agriculture leaders who embrace and harness the potential of emerging technologies.”

Esley Ng, APAC Stewardship Lead, FMC Corporation said, “This innovative approach revolutionises learning. As we aspire to achieve maximum impact in enhancing stewardship initiatives, starting with the current generation of agricultural talents like those from PAU and building on the fundamentals of safe and judicious consumption of crop protection products will go a long way.”

The stewardship campaign reached 6,000 farmers and

Agro Universities, Agrotech, Bee keeping

Collaboration for research and technological exchange was explored between the PAU and Israel during the visit

Yair Eshel, Agriculture Attache, Embassy of Israel, visited the Apiculture Unit of the Department of Entomology, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and interacted with apiculture scientists and postgraduate students in apiculture as well as bachelor students in agriculture undergoing an experiential learning programme in commercial apiculture.

Dr DK Sharma, Head of the Department, apprised the visiting member of the progress, achievements and recognitions of the PAU in the discipline of apiculture. He also highlighted the pioneering role of PAU in the successful introduction, multiplication and release of the Italian honey bee in the country.

Dr Pardeep Kumar Chhuneja, Incharge of the Apiculture Unit, shed light on PAU’s strong outreach programme in the promotion of Apiculture, including the training programmes for the Apicultural scientists of other State Agricultural Universities and ICAR Institutes. Dr Chhuneja informed that Yair also visited the PAU Apiary and research and training facilities including various apicultural research labs like diseases diagnostic lab, bee breeding lab, etc.

During the meeting with apiculture scientists of PAU, collaboration for research and technological exchange was explored between the PAU and Israel, particularly for the production and post-harvest handling of bee products, bee breeding, bee pollination and innovative bee husbandry and data recording technologies. The possibilities of training the PAU Apiculture scientists from Israel in advanced Apicultural technologies were also explored. Yair assured full support for the future joint ventures in apiculture including for some specialised training of the PAU bee scientists in Israel.

Collaboration for research and technological exchange was

Agro Universities, Types

Discussions were held in collaborative research with regard to fruit cultivation and crop diversification

With an aim to forge ties with Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), a five-member US delegation, led by Dr Raj Kahlon from the University of Merced in California, visited PAU to discuss the scope of joint venture. They interacted with the senior officials of PAU comprising Dr Shammi Kapoor, Registrar-cum-Dean, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities; Dr Sandeep Bains, Dean, Postgraduate Studies; Dr AS Dhatt, Director of Research; Dr GS Mangat, Additional Director of Research (Crop Improvement); Dr PPS Pannu, Additional Director of Research (Natural Resource and Plant Health Management); Dr GS Manes (Additional Director of Research (Farm Mechanisation and Bioenergy) and Dr Harminder Singh, Head, Department of Fruit Science.

Dr Kapoor, while welcoming the visiting delegation, informed them about the three major components of PAU including research, academics and extension. He welcomed the three potential areas of diversity in crops, suitable fruit varieties and exposure for students for the tie-up.

Dr Dhatt, while highlighting the achievements of PAU in the development of wheat and fruit crop varieties, discussed the collaborative research with regard to fruit cultivation.

Raj Kahlon suggested mutual cooperation in crop diversification and varietal development of fruits. Disclosing that there has been a water crunch in California during the last two years, he discussed potato processing in detail and showed keen interest in collaboration in citrus fruits like Kinnow.

Later, the delegation was presented a set of PAU publications.

Discussions were held in collaborative research with

Agro Universities, Agrotech, Organic

The cooperation will aid in the creation of facilities for the exchange of scientists, technologies and experts

The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana and the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Switzerland signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in agricultural research and education in the field of organic and natural farming. Dr Charanjit Singh Aulakh, Principal Agronomist, School of Organic Farming, PAU, and Dr Amritbir Singh Riar and Dr Monika Messmer from the FiBL signed the agreement.

Under this agreement, the cooperation shall be implemented by establishing mutual relations between the research and extension streams of both the organisations, and the creation of facilities for the exchange of scientists, technologies and experts. Both the institutions shall strive to get international funding to execute joint research projects in the field of sustainable and organic agriculture.

Sarvjit Singh, Vice-Chancellor; Dr Shammi Kapoor, Registrar; Dr AS Dhatt Director of Research and Dr SS Walia, Director, School of Organic Farming congratulated Dr Aulakh and his team and wished them success in further strengthening the national and international collaborations.

The cooperation will aid in the creation

Agro Universities

The wheat variety called ‘PBW1Chapati’ has been released at the state level in Punjab for cultivation under timely sown irrigated conditions

Researchers have developed a wheat variety, with excellent baking quality having soft and sweet chapatis. The wheat variety called ‘PBW1Chapati’ has been released at the state level in Punjab for cultivation under timely sown irrigated conditions.

The wheat breeding team from Punjab Agricultural University have developed a new variety using marker-assisted selection for a linked stripe rust and leaf rust gene Lr57/Yr40 in the PBW175 background. They have retained the chapati making parameters by testing the segregating materials using various biochemical tests during the development of the variety. 

The development of end product-specific and biofortified wheat germplasm was earlier on the breeding periphery and it got a great push from the Department of Science and Technology PURSE grant under the theme SWASTH BHARAT. It paved the way for consolidating the various gene pools for different traits to develop a viable commercial product with a focus on quality breeding. Thus, it enabled a shift from productivity-oriented technologies to those focused on nutritional enhancement along with yield. Wheat lines emerging out of convergent crosses and possessing a novel combination of high zinc, low phytates, high carotenoids, low polyphenols and high grain protein content have entered the varietal pipeline. 

Supported by the Promotion of University Research and Scientific Excellence(PURSE) grant, the thermocycler machine was used to monitor the presence of a linked stripe rust and leaf rust-resistant gene — ‘Lr57/Yr40’ in the segregating generations and the final selected progenies. Equipment like rheometer (determine the flour viscosity) and doughLAB (determines water absorption of flour, dough development time and other dough mixing parameters) purchased under the PURSE funding helped carry out post-harvest quality analysis of the selected progenies.

The variety ‘PBW1Chapati’ aims to fill this void at the commercial level owing to good chapati quality, sweet in taste and soft in texture. The colour of the chapati is comparably white and it remains soft even after hours of baking.

The wheat variety called ‘PBW1Chapati’ has been released

Agro Universities, Agrotech

The project is for duration of three years

The Department of Vegetable Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, has been awarded a project entitled ‘Molecular mapping and transfer of Jassid resistance in okra‘ by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. The three-year project will be undertaken in collaboration with the School of Agricultural Biotechnology, PAU, Ludhiana. Dr Mamta Pathak, Principal Olericulturist, Department of Vegetable Science and Dr Navraj Kaur, Principal Biotechnologist, School of Agricultural Biotechnology will lead the project along with Dr Parveen Chhuneja, Dr Deepak Singla and Dr Harpal Singh Bhullar. Dr Tarsem Singh Dhillon, Head, the Department of Vegetable Science and Dr Ajmer Singh Dhatt, Director of Research, PAU, Ludhiana, congratulated the scientists for their achievement.

The project is for duration of three

Agro Universities, People

The Fellowship will be bestowed on Dr Singh at the Awards Ceremony of the Plenary Session of 119th Annual Conference of ASHS

Professor Zora Singh, an alumnus of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), has been elected as Fellow of the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) during the 59th Annual Class of Fellows. He was selected in recognition of his outstanding contributions to science, profession and industry of horticulture at state, national, and international levels. The Fellowship will be bestowed on Dr Singh at the Awards Ceremony of the Plenary Session of 119th Annual Conference of ASHS, slated to be held at Hyatt Regency O’Hare, Chicago on July 31, 2022.

Dr Singh who did his B.Sc. Agri. (Honours), M.Sc. and Ph.D. from PAU started his career as an Assistant Professor at PAU in 1988. A Foundation Professor of Horticultural Science at the School of Science, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Dr Singh has earned global recognition for expertise in production technology and post-harvest physiology of fresh horticultural produce, undergraduate teaching, and research training to domestic and global students. He has been instrumental in developing innovative production and post-harvest technologies; minimising losses during production and supply chain; ensuring improved productivity, delivery of high-quality horticultural produce to consumers and profitability to Australian horticulture growers.

Dr Singh has served as Foundation Professor Post-harvest Horticulture (2009–2018), Foundation Associate Professor (2001–2008) and Inaugural Curtin Research Fellow (1997–2001) at Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia. Besides, he has been a Visiting Professor (1995–1996), University of Bologna, Italy; a Postdoctoral Research Fellow (1992–1995), Murdoch University, Western Australia; and a Commonwealth Postdoctoral Fellow (1986–1987), Institute of Horticultural Research, East Malling, UK.

In addition, Dr Singh has guided more than five dozen Ph.D., M.Sc., M.Phil. and Honours students and international scientists. He has authored/co-authored more than 300 research publications, and served on the Editorial Boards of 13 International Research Journals, and Editorial Committees of more than 15 International Conferences.

A recipient of several awards and honours, Dr Singh has been decorated with Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation, Mitsubishi Corporation Western Australian Innovator of the Year Award, Curtin Commercial Innovation Climate‐Kic Prize, Outstanding Researcher in Post-harvest Horticulture Award by International Society for Horticultural Science, UP Hedrick Award by American Pomological Society, Pran Vohra Award of Indian Science Congress Association, UNESCO/ROSTSCA Young Scientist Award, Indian National Science Academy Young Scientist and Professor LSS Kumar Memorial Awards, Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s Jawaharlal Nehru Award for Outstanding Ph.D. research, and International Society for Horticultural Science Medal.

Dr Shammi Kapoor, Registrar; Dr AS Dhatt, Director of Research; Dr Ashok Kumar, Director of Extension Education; Dr Sandeep Bains, Dean, Postgraduate Studies; Dr MIS Gill, Dean, College of Horticulture and Forestry; and Dr TS Riar, Additional Director Communication, congratulated Dr Zora Singh for this prestigious accomplishment.

The Fellowship will be bestowed on Dr

Agro Universities, Agrotech, Biofuel industry, Sustainability

Discussions were held on to commercialise the technologies in a better way

The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has inked a pact with Preet Energies, Amloh, Fatehgarh Sahib and ZAK Venture, Noida, Uttar Pradesh for the commercialisation of ‘Modified PAU fixed Dome Type Janta Model Biogas Plant’ having capacity from 25 m3/day to 500 m3/day” technology. Another MoA with ZAK Venture for ‘Paddy straw-based biogas plant made of mild steel sheet (above the ground)’ was also signed on the same day. Dr AS Dhatt, Director of Research, PAU and Proprietor of Preet Energies and Executive Director of ZAK Venture signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on behalf of their organisations.

Dr GS Manes, Additional Director of Research (Farm Mechanization and Bioenergy), PAU congratulated Dr Rajan Aggarwal, Head, Department of Renewable Energy Engineering and Dr Sarbjit Singh Sooch, Principal Scientist in the department, for the commercialisation of these technologies.

Dr Aggarwal and Dr Sooch explained the functions and usefulness of the technologies at the time of signing of the MoA.

Dr Usha Nara, Plant Breeder, TMIPRC, informed PAU has signed a total of 288 MoAs. She also told that 10 MoAs of Modified PAU fixed Dome Type Janta Model Biogas Plant having capacity from 25 m3/day to 500 m3/day and 7 MoAs of Paddy straw-based biogas plant made of mild steel sheet (above the ground) have been signed with different companies and firms.

Discussions were held on to commercialise the

Agro Universities, Start ups

The MoA will help to excel in agribusiness in collaboration with co-agri-startups

The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has signed Memorandum of Agreement (MoAs) with 13 agri start-ups of Punjab Agri Business Incubator (PABI), Directorate of Extension Education (six under Udaan and seven under Uddam). These start-ups are selected by Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana – Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied Sectors Rejuvenation (RKVY-RAFTAAR), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India for grant-in-aid.

Dr Ashok Kumar, Director of Extension Education, PAU signed MoAs on behalf of PAU and congratulated the start-ups.

Dr TS Riar, Additional Director Communication, PAU and Principal Investigator, PABI, said that agri start-ups should work with full dedication to excel in agribusiness in collaboration with their co-agri-startups under all three cohorts of PABI.

Dr Poonam A Sachdev, Head, Department of Food Science and Technology, PAU and Co-Principal Investigator, PABI, urged the representatives of start-ups to utilise the grant-in-aid efficiently to generate employment in Punjab.

The MoA will help to excel in

Agro Universities, Agrotech

The CoE project will focus on the development and integration of advanced genomic technologies in crop breeding programmes for promoting crop diversification

A Centre of Excellence (CoE) project ‘Development and Integration of Advanced Genomic Technologies for Targeted Breeding’ has been awarded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India to Punjab Agricultural University. The CoE project will focus on the development and integration of advanced genomic technologies in crop breeding programmes for promoting crop diversification in the state, increasing the productivity of the target crops and farmers’ profitability.

Dr Parveen Chhuneja, Director, School of Agricultural Biotechnology and Coordinator of the CoE project, said that a team of more than 50 PAU scientists including plant breeders, biotechnologists, entomologists, pathologists and biochemists will work on nine projects on various crops including pigeon pea, maize, cotton, brassica, wheat, basmati, pea, citrus and guava. The research project will lead to the development of crop varieties with better yield potential, tolerance to emerging diseases, enhanced nutritional quality for attaining food and nutritional security.

She further explained that new plant breeding and genomic technologies to be developed and utilised in the project will accelerate plant breeding programmes for faster turnover of the value-added crop varieties. Special emphasis will also be given to the building of a new generation of young scientists with expertise in cutting edge science of genomics who will contribute to new advances in Agricultural Biotechnology in times to come, she added.

Dr Gurjit Singh Mangat, Additional Director of Research (Crop Improvement) and Director, Dr Gurdev Singh Institute of Genetics, Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, said that the project was formulated under the mentorship of visionary scientists Dr Gurdev Singh Khush and Late Dr Darshan Singh Brar and submitted to DBT in December 2019. He emphasised that it was approved after rigorous reviews by technical experts from all over the country under the chairmanship of Dr Deepak Pental, Former Vice-Chancellor, Delhi University.

Dr Ajmer Singh Dhatt, Director of Research, PAU explained that DBT has provided a generous grant of more than 27 crores for a period of five years for strengthening infrastructure, research activities for cutting edge research in agricultural biotechnology, human resource, travel, conducting advanced training and workshops for capacity building. He also said that a specialized speed breeding facility for taking multiple generations of the target crops in a single year will be established under CoE.

Dr Sandeep Kapur, Comptroller and Dr Shammi Kapoor, Registrar, assured that all the necessary support for the successful implementation of the project will be provided.

DK Tiwari, Vice-Chancellor, PAU and Additional Chief Secretary, Punjab congratulated the CoE team on this great achievement. He further added that PAU scientists have big challenges ahead, however, their devotion and commitment will lead to successful outcomes which will give Punjab agriculture a new direction. He wished them luck in this endeavour.

The CoE project will focus on the

Agro chems – Fertilizers, Agro Universities, Sustainability

The theme is ‘Soil, air and water conservation; Practice this for future generation’

The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has announced the dates for the upcoming Virtual Kisan Melas in March 2022. Sharing the details, Dr Ashok Kumar, Director of Extension Education, said that the series of melas will kick off with the first Virtual Kisan Melas at Ballowal Saunkhri (Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar) and Nagakalan Jahangir (Amritsar) on March 14. This will be followed by the Virtual Kisan Mela at Rauni (Patiala) on March 16 and Virtual Kisan Melas at Faridkot and Gurdaspur on March 21, he informed. The two-day Virtual Kisan Mela at Ludhiana is scheduled to be held on March 24 and 25, he added. Further, Dr Kumar said that the last Virtual Kisan Mela will be organised at Bathinda on March 29.

Dr Kumar said that the theme of the melas is “Soil, air and water conservation; Practice this for future generation.” With special emphasis on the conservation of natural resources, the melas will call upon the farming community to save soil, air and water by making judicious use of groundwater, fertilisers and agro-chemicals, and saying no to stubble burning, he added. The melas will provide an opportunity to the farmers, farm women and rural youths to learn about latest recommendations related to crop varieties and production and protection technologies; subsidiary occupations (mushroom production, beekeeping, animal husbandry, etc.); home management practices and other allied enterprises, he said. Focus will also be on promoting rural entrepreneurship for the economic stability of their families. In addition, quality seeds of crop varieties, plant material, biofertilisers and farm literature will be available for purchase during these melas.

Dr Kumar called upon the farmers to participate in the melas along their families. “Melas are revitalising events; your presence will make it a grand success,” he stated.

The theme is 'Soil, air and water

Agro Universities, Agrotech, Seeds

Commercialises the smart seeder that can be operated with a 45 to 50 hp tractor

A Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed between Punjab Agricultural University and five firms, namely, GSA Industries of Patiala; Kamboj Mechanical Works of Amritsar; National Agro Industries of Ludhiana; Dasmesh Mechanical Works of Sangrur and Guru Nanak Agri Works of Jalandhar for the commercialisation of PAU Smart Seeder.

Dr Ajmer Singh Dhatt, Director of Research; Dr Ashok Kumar, Dean, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology and Director of Extension Education; Dr Gursahib Singh Manes, Additional Director of Research (Farm Mechanization and Bioenergy) and Dr Gurjeet Singh Mangat, Additional Director of Research (Crop Improvement) congratulated Dr Rajesh Goyal, Scientist and Dr Manpreet Singh, Extension Scientist, for the commercialisation of the technology.

The Head of Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Dr Mahesh Kumar Narang said that the technology helped in managing paddy straw management. The PAU Smart Seeder managed the paddy residues by incorporation and surface mulching and thus, smartly retained the benefits of both Happy Seeder and Super Seeder in a single machine, he said. The PAU Smart Seeder placed wheat seeds in a well-tilled narrow band of soil and covered the seed rows with soil, using furrow closing rollers, he added. 

“This machine can be operated with a 45 to 50 hp tractor. The field capacity and fuel consumption of the machine is 0.4 ha/h and 5.5 l/acre, respectively,” he mentioned.

In 2021, PAU in association with its industry partners took initiatives to stop paddy straw burning under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project, he said. Also, large-scale demonstrations/popularisation of smart seeder were conducted on around 200 ha areas to educate the farmers, he added.

Dr Amarjit Kaur, Associate Director, Technology Marketing and IPR Cell, PAU, congratulated the concerned scientists, and the Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering for the development of a new machine, which will help in the increasing area under mechanical paddy transplanting. “PAU has signed 282 MoAs till date with different companies/firms/individuals,” she informed.

Commercialises the smart seeder that can be